Most ambitious employees want to fast-track their way to the top — but the climb isn't always easy.

The New York Times' Adam Bryant recently interviewed Kat Cole, president of Cinnabon, a popular chain of American baked goods stores and kiosks, who started her career as a Hooters girl at age 17.

Bryant asked Cole — who by age 19 was helping Hooters expand internationally — to share her best advice for ambitious employees who want to move up the corporate ladder. She offered three tips.

1. Be "incredibly coachable."

This is especially true at a company like Cinnabon, where everyone gives each other feedback, she says. "If you want to move up, you've got to get as many inputs as possible to continue to develop," Cole explains.

2. Be proactive.

"Take your development into your own hands, and be curious about the entire company," she told Bryant. "If there's something you want to learn, go learn it."

3. Be a "productive achiever."

"I only promote and support productive achievers," Cole says. "That's about mentoring and helping others while you are delivering results."